Big Money Many land trusts have very large budgets and political power with the ability to control smaller local land trusts. If you are considering a conservation easement it has been our experience that the land trust that signs your agreement with may not be the entity you end up with. Land trusts can “trade” easements with each other without obligation to inform the landowner. If smaller land trusts are deemed incapable of “monitoring” your easement, your easement is then considered an “orphan” and a larger land trust may become your new partner with or without your knowledge or consent. Check out the tax documents below – conservation easements are considered “assets” of the land trust and are assigned a dollar value. Think carefully about the ability of entities to use their assets as collateral and who you and your heirs may eventually be obligated to…perpetuity is forever. The Nature Conservancy 2015 land sales to governments and others $71,690,245. Net assets/fund balance $5,915,241,749 2015TNC The Nature Conservancy 2016 land sales to governments and others $48,192,836. Net assets/fund balance $6,221,760,264. TNC2016 Colorado Open Lands 2016 Net assets/fund balance $7,638,463 Colorado Cattlemen’s 2014, 2015, and 2016 2014CCALT 2015CCALT 2016CCALT American Prairie Reserve 2016 2016-810541893-0e505102-9-2